Clamp bail-joint



M. TANIMINE.

CLAMP RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED N .9. 1915.

1 194:,574. PatentedAug. 15,1916.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY TUNTTEFP MAS'AIGHI TANIIVIINE, OIE GRANGER, WYOMING.

CLAMP BAIL-JOINT.

(mammal W Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An. f5, 1918..

Application filed November 9, 191.5. Serial No. 60,565.

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that T, MASAIOI-II TAnnnrnn, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, resldmg at Granger, in the county of Sweetwater and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamp Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to joints and more particularly to clamp rail joints.

The primary object of my invention resides in the provision of an improved means for association with the meeting ends of. a pair of rails for clamping the ends of the rails in abutting relation with each other and in alinement and maintaining them in this position.

Another object of invention residesin the provision of a novel means for mounting and operating the clamping means as well as associated therewith for preventlng accidental disengagement with the clamping means.

A further objectv of my invention resides in the provision of a novel means for adjustably connecting the operating means with the clamping means as well as the novel means on the clamping means for gripping the rails and facilitating the maintenance of the meeting ends of the rails in a substan tially rigid formation.

Other ob ects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of my invention, illustrating to advantage the arrangement of the clamping means and the means for operating the clamping means; Fig. Q'is a side elevational view of my invention associated with the meeting ends of rails illustrating to advantage the arrangement ofthe operating means with the clamping means; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the threaded rod, illustrating to advantage the construction of the means for preventing reverse movement of the rod; Fig. d is a fragmentary front elevational View of one of the fish plates or clamping members; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the clamping members or plates; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the element for retaining the swinging lock in position- Referring more particularly to the draw .ings in, which similar reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the various views, I provide a tie l which has disposed thereon the meeting ends of apair of rails 2 and 3. For the purpose of maintaining the meeting ends of the rails in intimate contact with each other and in alinement, I have provided my improved clamp joint. The improved means in this instance consists essentially of two fish plates-d and 5, the upper and lower edges of which are beveled to conform to the under surfaces of the heads and the upper surfaces of the bases of the rails 2 and 3,

this construction being shown inFig. 1 of the drawings. The upper and lower beveled surfaces'of these plates are provided with a plurality of ratchet-like teeth 6 which are arranged to extend in opposite directions, that is, those to either side of the center of the plate extend towardthe center of the plate so that when they are arranged in engagement with the heads and bases of the rails movement of the rails from each other will be prevented when the plates are forced toward each other to clamp in engagement with the rails. The outer faces of both of the plates are enlarged and rounded as indicated by the numeral 7 and are provided intermediate their curved sides with longitudinally extended grooves 8 which have rounded bottoms for a purpose to be hereinafter described. In order that these fish plates may be forced toward each other in biting engagement with the heads and bases of the rails, T have provided my improved supporting chairs'as well as the means for connecting the plates with the chairs and the means for operating the plates. Each of the chairs in this instance consist of a base 9 which is adapted to be placed in engage ment with the bottom of the rails, the bases having flanges 10 formed on one side for engagement with one of the base flanges. Projecting from each diagonal wall 11 of the flanges 10 isa rod 12 on the outer end of which is formed a ball 13. These balls are adapted for slidable engagement in the round bottom grooves 8 in the plate 5, engagement being facilitated by arranging the bases in engagement with the under surface of the rails and sliding the chairs so that the diagonal walls 11 contact with the lower curved faces 7 while the balls enter the grooves. The opposite ends of the bases are raised as. indicated by the numeral 1 1 and provided with transverse recesses 15 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Cooperating with the fish plates and chair for facilitating the clamping of the fish plates and the maintenance of the chair in position is my improved clamping means and support therefor. In this instance I have provided upright bodies 16 having screw-threaded openings 17 therein, the bodies resting upon the raised ends 14: of the chairs and having flanges 18 extending inwardly therefrom which are bent downwardly to engage the upper surfaces of the base flanges of the rails. These flanges have feet 19 extending therefrom in a reverse direction in which the flanges extend, said feet being engageable in the transverse recesses 15 for holding the chairs in removable engagement with the rails. A screw-threaded rod 20 is adjustably mounted in each of the screw-threaded openings 17, said rods having balls 21 formed on the outer ends thereof which are adapted for slidable engagement with the grooves 8 in the fish plate 1. To prevent accidental rotation of the rods after they have been clamped in position in a manner to be hereinafter described, I have provided the rods with grooves 22 for receiving lugs 23 on ratchet wheels 24., the latter being arranged about the rods and in intimate contact with the upright bodies 16 as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. These ratchet Wheels are engageable by pawls 25 pivotally mounted as at 26 to the outer faces of the bodies 16. As is apparent these ratchet wheels will slide on the screw-threaded rods but because of their association with the rods and because of the pawls, accidental reverse movement is prevented. In order to operate the rods, I have arranged nuts 27 on the ends thereof, the extreme free ends of the rods being squared to receive operating wheels 28, the latter being removably held thereon through the medium of suitable fastening devices, preferably cotter pins 29. By rotating the handles the rods will be rotated and cause the plates to be arranged in biting engagement with the rails.

For the purpose of removably locking the flanges 18 in engagement with the bases of the rails, I have pivotally mounted hooks 30 through the medium of suitable fastening devices 31 on the sides of the bases 9, the free ends of the hooks engaging slots .32 provided in the extended ends of the flanges 18 as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. To prevent accidental displace ment of the hooks from the slots, Iprovide my improved retaining element, in this instance this element being formed from a single piece of resilient metal bent into a right angle formation, one end 33 thereof being rigidly connected through the medium of a suitable fastening device 34 to the outer side of the hook, while the opposite end 35 constitutes a pin for removably engaging an opening in the base 9.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the balls 13 and 21 from the round bottom grooves 8, I have provided a plurality of screw-threaded pins 37 having squared ends 38, said pins being engageable in openings 39 adjacent the respective ends of each of the fish plates.

The operation of my invention is as follows: In applying my device to the meeting ends of a pair of rails which are arranged in alinement and in intimate contact with each other, the fish plates are forced into engagement with the opposite sides of the rails. The bases 9, being arranged in engagement with the under surfaces of the rails, are secured by the bodies which carry the flanges and feet, the latter being en aged respecti vely on the base flanges and in the recesses in the bases. These parts are now slid so that the balls 21 and 13 will engage the recesses in the plates, whereupon the locking hooks 81 are swung into engagement with the slots 32 and the wheels 28 are rotated so as to force the plates 4 and 5 toward each other in order that the teeth 0 may hitingly engage the under surfaces of the heads and the upper surfaces of the base flanges on the rails 2 and 3 thereby holding the meeting ends of the rails in a substantially rigid position. In removing the devices all that is necessary to do is to remove the pawls 25 from engagement with the ratchet wheels and rotate the handle wheels 28 in a reverse direction to loosen the clamps whereby to permit of the disassembling of the parts.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact details shown. However, I desire that great stress be laid upon the arrangement of the fish plates, the clamping chairs and the mounting means for the operating means both of which cooperate to facilitate the maintenance of the rails in a substantially rigid position.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, of a pair of fish plates arranged upon the respective sides of the rails, teeth formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the fish plates, and means for removably clamping the plates so that the teeth will bitingly engage the rails and prevent relative movement thereof.

2. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, a pair of fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, teeth formed on the upper and lower edges of the plates and arranged to extend toward the center of the plates, chairs associated with the rails and one of said fish plates, means for clamping the plates to cause the teeth to engage the rails, and common means for supporting the clamping means and for maintaining the chairs in a supported position.

3. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, of serrated fish plates arranged in engagement with the opposite sides of the rails, means for supporting the fish plates, and means associated with the supporting means for reniovably clamping the fish plates in en gageinent with the rails to prevent relative movement of the rails.

a. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, serrated fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, means for removably maintaining the fish plates in a supported position, means for removably clamping the fish plates in position to prevent relative movement of the parts, and means for preventing accidental reverse movement of the clamping means.

5. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, serrated fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, rail chairs, means for connecting the chairs to one of the fish plates, means for supporting the other ends of the chairs in engagement with the rails, and clamping means adjustably mounted in the supporting means for the chairs for removably maintaining the plates in biting engagement with the rails to prevent relative movement of the rails.

6. A rail joint including in combination with a pair of rails, serrated fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, rail chairs, means for adjustably and removably connecting the chairs with one of the fish plates, clamping means for removably maintaining the fish plates in biting engagement with the rails to prevent relative movement thereof, and common means for mounting the clamping means and for holding the parts in engagement with the rails.

7. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, of serrated fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, rail chairs, means for adjustably and removably associating the chairs with one of the fish plates, means for holding the other ends of the chairs in engagement with the rails, means for removably locking the holding means in engagement with the chairs, and clamping means adjustably and removably associated with the other of the plates for removably maintaining the plates in biting engagement with the rails for preventing relative movement of the rails.

8. A rail joint including in combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, of serrated fish plates arranged upon the opposite sides of the rails, rail chairs, means for adjustably and removably associating the chairs with one of the fish plates, means for holding the other ends of the chairs in engagement with the rails, means for re movably locking the'holding means in engagement with the chairs, screw-threaded rods adjustably mounted in the holding means and associated with the other of the fish plates, means for operating the rods to cause the fish plates to bitingly engage the rails to prevent relative movement of the rails, and means associated with the rods for preventing accidental reverse movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MASAICHI TANIMINE.

Witnesses:

HARRY M. BURNHAM, GEO. A. CLIFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

